Exceptional needs—early and late adolescence/mathematics or science
Exceptional needs—early and late adolescence/English language arts

Late 1990s
4-5 students per year

• Mathematics or science total: 120 credits
– Professional education: 60+ credits
– Mathematics: 26–27 credits
– Science: 25 credits
– Electives
• English language arts (ELA)
– Professional education: 60+ credits
– ELA content: 25 credits
Challenge: Students in the dual program do not have a “passion” for Special Education; the school is concerned this can cause a lack of advocacy for Special Education
Remedy: Orientation at the beginning of every semester; seminar discussions about advocacy throughout semesters; one-on-one interventions for targeted cases

• One semester, full time, student teaching (Collaborative Student teaching model)
– Either in general education or inclusion (depends on school)
– Paired with Special Education mentor teacher
– No K–12 Special Education option; either K–6 or secondary
• Three field experience placements prior to student teaching; placements in general education, inclusion; placement prior to student teaching semester is in a Special Education classroom
The secondary program is more fluid because students match up with a mentor teacher for Special Education and the subject area. The level of fluctuation also causes variance in the number of hours completed. At a minimum, candidates’ complete 160 contact hours:
• 10 weeks student teaching in Special Education classroom
• 6 weeks teaching in content area

Reference
Denise Wyattdwyatt@indiana.edu
The School of Education does not have any definitive research published or unpublished regarding the program, but general statistics are available on the Title II website.
Blanton, L. P., & Pugach, M. C. (2007). Collaborative programs in general and special teacher education. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.

Purdue
146-148 credits
Grades K-6

Dual licensure in elementary education and Special Education–mild intervention

Licensure in subject matter area (mathematics, business, chemistry, health and physical education, English language arts, life sciences, physical sciences, and social studies) and Special Education mild intervention

2002-2003

Students begin taking core courses—all of which are cotaught—then complete courses and experiences in subject matter and Special Education

• Split placements in both preprofessional and professional experiences between the general education and special education setting
– One semester student teaching: split 50% general education, 50% Special Education

Master of arts in teaching program in subject area and teacher of students with disabilities

Since 2008
15 students per year in 17 content areas

The 33-credit master’s program is organized into three interrelated strands that integrate theory, technique, and practice in instruction and assessment.

The program culminates in a one-semester, full-time practicum in a classroom setting and a related, teacher-as-researcher course that includes an action research project.
• Students complete a professional year during which they complete 120 hours of individual and small-group instruction (through either a pull-out/resource setting or implementation of tiered interventions in the partner school) followed by a full-time student teaching semester. Most candidates are placed in an inclusion classroom with a content area teacher (middle or secondary) and a Special Education teacher who are an established coteaching team (together for more than 2 years). They teach two full periods or blocks in the in-class support (inclusion) classroom and one period or block in a pull-out resource setting. The New Jersey Department of Education does not specify how much field experience candidates must have for the SPECIAL EDUCATION endorsement. Montclair ensures all candidates have rigorous experiences across environments, including inclusion teaching as dual educators.

Reference
Jennifer Goekegoekej@mail.montclair.edu
College accreditation data are collected through course-embedded assessments—including data on four benchmark performance assessments across the professional year: academic change (response to intervention/tiered interventions), inclusion unit planning and implementation, coteaching, and a culminating defense.
A few articles and book chapters have been published, and an edited book about the U.S. Department of Education 325T grant project is forthcoming in 2017, titled Redesigning Special Education Teacher Preparation: Challenges and Solutions

New Mexico

University of New Mexico
131-135 credits; 4 years. Program starts sophomore fall or spring
Grades K-8

Special Education (PK-12) and elementary education (K-8)

Since 1996
Approximately 30 students in a cohort

Coursework breakdown:
• 16 student teaching credits
• 57 credits prior to acceptance into dual program
• 8 educational foundation
• 30 SPECIAL EDUCATION
• 30 general education
• 24 content area teaching field
Challenges:
• Not enough available placements for elementary education candidates in inclusion environments
Added a high school placement option for SPECIAL EDUCATION and encourages candidates to be in high school settings

The New Mexico Department of Education does not have a requirement concerning dual licensure and student teaching placement. The dual licensure program within the University of New Mexico requires student teaching placement across general and Special Education settings. Placement in inclusion settings is preferred, but is not always available. Candidates are placed in a K–8 setting for their general education semester, with preference toward students with disabilities in the classroom and where Special Education teachers provide services directly in the classroom. Candidates are placed in a PK–12 setting for their Special Education semester across all types of settings (e.g., general education inclusion, resource room, self-contained), with a priority toward general education inclusion.
For the general education semester, candidates are placed in a setting aligned to their field (mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts).
Additional Notes:
• Candidates are not placed in separate schools for students with disabilities.
• If placed in inclusion setting, candidates are offered the option to stay during the entire year—which most prefer—or are offered the following:
– Complete one semester of student teaching in Special Education classroom and one semester in general education classroom
– Complete 10 days of solo teaching in each placement or 20 days of solo teaching in an inclusion setting

Reference
Erin Jarryejarry@unm.edu
Keefe, E. B., Rossi, P. J., De Valenzuela, J. S., & Howarth, S. (2000). Reconceptualizing teacher preparation for inclusion classrooms: A description of the dual license program at the University of New Mexico. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 25(2), 72–82.

• Semester of student teaching:
– Half semester in a general education classroom
– Half semester in a Special Education/inclusion classroom
• Field experiences are with two different age groups:
– One placement Grades 7–9
– One placement Grades 10–12

Pace University
Five-semester course of study
Prepares candidates as 7–12 content area specialists in general and Special Education as well as Special Education “generalists,” which is consistent with New York teacher certification

Two student teaching components:
• In undergraduate program in the content area (one semester)

Reference
Leslie Soodaklsoodak@pace.edu
Roberta WienerRwiener2@pace.edu
Teacher preparation data are collected as follows: (a) key assessments across coursework (to meet Council for Exceptional Children and Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards) and (b) field performance data from students, clinical supervisors, and mentors. Postgraduation data are collected as follows: (a) anecdotal reflections from graduates on their experiences in teacher preparation and (b) observation data of instruction after employment.
Presentations concerning the development and design of the dual certification program were at relevant general and Special Education conferences. Data concerning graduate outcomes are currently being prepared to inform improvement.

Special Education (general curriculum K–12) and a second license in general education, in one of the following licensure areas:
Elementary (K–6)
Middle (6–9)
English (9–12)
Mathematics (9–12)
Science/biology (9–12)
History (9–12)

Student Teaching:
• Fall semester: two placements→one in content area and grade level, one in Special Education inclusion classroom
• Candidates teach in the same inclusion class for 14–15 weeks, full time, spring semester
• Candidates can elect to student teach in a resource room
Edu 450. Teaching Diverse Learners In Middle And Secondary Schools: A 30-hour field placement in a diverse secondary classroom provides real world experience for students.

Year 1:
First term—Observing in both general and Special Education settings (10 hours/week)
Second term—Applying new knowledge and skills directly with students with an individual education program (IEP) (10 hours/week)
Third term—Half-time student teaching in Special Education (20 hours/week)
Year 2:
First term—Working with students with more significant disabilities and coteaching in an inclusion-content classroom (10-hour practicum/week)
Second term—Half-time student teaching in general education (20 hours/week)
Third term—Full-time student teaching in general education (40 hours/week)

Fieldwork and student teaching: 15 credits
• Fall semester: 14 weeks full-time teaching in general education (inclusion) classroom
• Spring semester: 14 weeks in Special Education practicum; teach for half day in Special Education classroom; other half of day is usually an English as a second language practicum

Student teaching:
• Half of student teaching in regular classroom
• Half of student teaching in inclusion classroom
Other notes: Placement school determines candidates placement
Challenge: High turnover rate of faculty—four faculty in the last 2 years; program is in transition

University of Utah
Four years; eight semesters
Secondary (Grades 6-12 in six content majors)

"Integrated model"

2008

The core of the curriculum is grounded in the three-tiered model of instruction, universal design for learning, and evidence-based practice.

Field placements are viewed as an extension of coursework.

Hardman, M. L. (2009). Redesigning the preparation of all teachers within the framework of an integrated program model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(4), 583–587.
Michael Hardmanmichael.hardman@utah.edu
The program is held accountable for the quality and impact of its preparation programs on candidate performance. A continual feedback and improvement cycle is initiated at the initial preparation phase, during induction and across the early years of teaching.

Candidates earn teacher licensure in chosen area (e.g., elementary education, middle level education, secondary education, art education, music education) along with endorsement as a special educator for students in corresponding age levels
Courses in assessment, applied behavior analysis, early or adolescent literacy, and research-based instructional methods for including students with disabilities in general education classrooms

Disclaimer

This website was produced under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Award No. H325A170003. David Guardino serves as the project officer. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or polices of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, or enterprise mentioned in this website is intended or should be inferred.